Breaking down Section 9 boys' lacrosse tourney

With the release of the Section 9 boys' lacrosse brackets, the Times Herald-Record takes a look at what to watch for in the upcoming tournament.

WILLIAM MONTGOMERY

With the release of the Section 9 boys' lacrosse brackets, the Times Herald-Record takes a look at what to watch for in the upcoming tournament.

After losing in each of its first three appearances in the Section 9 Class A final (2006, '07 and '10), Minisink Valley broke through last year with a 9-6 win over Valley Central for the Warriors' first boys' lacrosse title. Minisink Valley won a third straight OCIAA Division II title this season and earned the No. 1 seed in the Class A bracket. Senior attack Jake Levins (49 goals, 23 assists) was Section 9's leading scorer during the regular season.

Team to watch: Warwick. Since a 10-3 loss at Minisink Valley on April 25, Warwick is 6-1. The only loss was a 9-8 decision at North Rockland of Section 1.

Player to watch: Joe Sessa, sophomore attack, Minisink Valley. Sessa missed a significant portion of Minisink Valley's schedule early in the season with a shoulder injury, but he's come back strong with a Section 9-high 45 assists.

Saugerties had owned this bracket since Section 9 switched to a three-class playoffs in 2003. The Sawyers won every Section 9 Class B title from 2003-11, but Wallkill broke through last season, doubling up Saugerties in the final, 16-8, to win its first Section 9 title. Cornwall, in its first varsity season after playing as a club team in previous years, is the No. 1 seed this year. The Dragons are looking to make it three different champions in three seasons in Class B.

The favorite: Cornwall. The Dragons have lost just twice all season. The first was a 5-4 defeat at undefeated Rondout Valley. The second was a 3-1 decision at Delaware Valley (Pa.), which is 16-2 in its first season playing in the Wyoming Valley Lacrosse League.

Team to watch: Highland. The Huskies have never appeared in a Section 9 championship game, but a strong youth program has helped build a competitive team on the varsity level.

Player to watch: Chris Schlappich, freshman midfield, Highland. Schlappich has been one of the keys in Highland's 9-6 regular season. He has 28 goals and 36 assists, an average of 4.3 points per game.

Red Hook has won five straight Section 9 Class C titles, but this might be the year a new champion is crowned.

The favorite: Rondout Valley. The Ganders are 14-0 and they also have some playoff experience as a second-year program. Rondout Valley made it to the final last year, but lost to Red Hook 14-5.

Team to watch: Millbrook. The Blazers won four straight to end the regular season, including overtime thrillers against Washingtonville (15-14) and John S. Burke Catholic (14-13) in their final two games.

Player to watch: Eric Morse, junior goalie, Rondout Valley. Morse has played in all 14 of Rondout Valley's games, saved 75.3 percent of the shots he's faced and has a goals-against average of 3.02. Those numbers are, in part, a credit to the defense in front of Morse. They're also a credit to Morse, who has been a steady presence on the team since his family suffered a house fire before the start of the season.